WORKING THE: BUTTER 361 



before working and but little working is needed to complete the 

 solution and distribution of the salt. The same reason, why under- 

 worked butter is of better quality than much-worked butter, 

 also accounts in part for the fact that unsalted butter is often 

 of better quality and keeps better than salted butter. Such 

 butter does not require working in order to insure solution of 

 the salt and to avoid mottles. It therefore is often not worked 

 as much as salted butter and has a better body and better grain. 

 The second reason for the tendency of overworking butter 

 is the common practice of trying to incorporate the maximum 

 amount of moisture which the law permits. In late spring and 

 early summer, when the butter is relatively soft and naturally 

 takes up water readily, there usually is no need of excessive 

 working in order to incorporate moisture, and if the buttermaker 

 understands his business, he need not overwork the butter to 

 the extent of injuring its body or flavor. But not so when the 

 butter comes firm and tends to be low in moisture as is the case 

 in fall, winter and early spring. Under these conditions the 

 butter often requires a comparatively large amount of working 

 in order to contain the maximum amount of moisture allowed 

 by law. This is true especially in the states where much cot- 

 tonseed meal and similar fodder producing hard and crumbly but- 

 ter, are fed. Butter made from such cream, when worked in 

 the usual way, and just enough to insure proper compactness; 

 usually does not contain much over 13.5 per cent moisture and 

 the additional moisture can only be incorporated by additional 

 working and this is often done at the expense of body, flavor 

 and keeping quality. From the point of view of the quality 

 of American butter this additional working or overworking is 

 objectionable and it is a debatable question if, in the long run, 

 the loss in price and prestige due to sacrifice in quality, is not 

 greater than the increased returns due to larger overrun. If 

 in winter, when butter naturally conies in the form of smooth, 

 round and firm granules, the creamery insists on incorporating 

 the maximum amount of moisture permitted by law, it would 

 seem preferable to churn at a sufficiently higher temperature 

 to make the butter come somewhat less firm, thereby increasing 

 its ability to naturally hold moisture and making unnecessary 

 excessive working. In this case great care should be exercised 



